Supporting Our People and Our Communities

Global McFamily,

All our lives have been severely impacted by COVID-19. The coronavirus is relentless, and no matter where you are in the world, we’re all feeling its effects on our day-to-day routines, personal connections, and livelihoods.

This pandemic has seriously impacted the McDonald’s System in ways that are deeply personal. Over the last several months, it’s been upsetting to learn of McFamily members who have contracted COVID-19. Even more heart wrenching has been the instances of McFamily members who have lost their lives to COVID-19. While I have no doubt McDonald’s will recover from this pandemic, we will never forget. We will not forget the hardship, anxiety and sadness it has inflicted on so many in our System. Amidst this uncertainty, I’ve found great strength from the actions and kindnesses of everyone at McDonald’s. We are all in this together, and I feel fortunate to be part of such a special community.

As I have said before, I am unbelievably proud of how our System has come together in extraordinary ways over the last few months to help each other, our customers and the communities we serve. The actions we’ve all been taking reinforce the commitment of all three legs of the stool to embrace our principles and act with purpose.

In line with our principle that “We’re All in this Together,” I wanted to take the opportunity to share with you some of the ways in which we are supporting each other across the world. Our commitment to feed and serve communities begins with a responsibility to support the people of our System, and that spirit remains stronger than ever.

Equipping our restaurant employees

Our responsibility to support the people of our System begins on the front line with how we care for the crew of our owned and franchised restaurants, as we stay open to serve customers and communities safely.

Working with our franchisees, we’re continuing to closely follow expert guidance of global and local health authorities to protect crew members. As part of that effort, we have been sharing protective gear such as face masks and thermometers. In the U.S., 100 million face masks will be arriving at restaurants shortly.

We also have been requiring contactless operations, and protective panels and disposable gloves for crew at the front counter and Drive-Thru window, in addition to requirements that have been in place for enhanced sanitation procedures, and social distancing inside the restaurants for customers and crew. These practices can certainly inform how markets come online in the future, and how we continue to evolve in light of this pandemic and our new normal.
 

Heroic efforts to serve communities

Another part of our responsibility to support people is in our communities, where our front-line team members are lending help where it is needed most. Our franchisees, suppliers and crew – who know their communities best – are taking inspiring actions to provide care and continuity of services to those in need. In true McDonald’s fashion, we are “Leading by Example” with generous and compassionate support.

The stories are powerful. In Croatia, children who had to cancel their Happy Meal restaurant parties are receiving a free birthday cake delivered to their homes so that they can still celebrate their special day. In the U.K., restaurants are supporting the parents of children with autism and other special needs by supplying them with the Happy Meal packaging they love in order to maintain a sense of normalcy in these challenging times. And in many markets around the world, extra food within the supply chain is being redistributed through non-profit organizations and local food banks to feed communities in need.

In the U.S., we drew upon the inspiring initiatives from local restaurants and, alongside our franchise partners, scaled those efforts into a national program in a way that only McDonald’s can. Inspired by the health care workers and first responders working diligently on the front lines to keep us safe, our restaurants are offering our appreciation with free “Thank You Meal” boxes to doctors, nurses, hospital workers, police officers, firefighters and paramedics to thank them for their tireless efforts to protect us all. These include favorite breakfast and lunch menu items packaged in Happy Meal boxes, with a thank you note in place of a toy.

These are just a few highlights of countless amazing stories across the world. These stories are a point of pride for me and I know for you, too. Most importantly, the impacts are being felt by those in need, and we will continue to support our franchisees and crew in these efforts.
 

Moving forward, together

As I have said before, we are all in this together, and that means continuing to serve our communities in a safe way, but also looking out for each other as a System both on the front lines and behind the scenes. A big part of being able to do that is first taking care of yourself and your family – so please take the time to rest, recharge and disconnect when you need it.

Next week, I’ll be back to you with more details on the steps we’re taking as a business in conjunction with the release of our quarterly earnings.

In the meantime, I want to offer a sincere and heartfelt thank you to every one of you. In these difficult times, my ask is that we continue to come together and support one another. It’s in that spirit that I know we will get through this.

Thanks for your continuing support and resilience.

Chris